Bands perform for free in anti-nuclear power concert

An eight-hour concert starring local bands and artists who support the abolition of nuclear power was held in Taipei yesterday with an aim to raise public awareness on nuclear issues.

“Since we’re dealing with an arbitrary government that ‘refuses to listen to public opinion and uses power to make you shut up,’ let’s all sing loudly at the ‘No Nukes! Long Play!’ concert, until the politicians can hear us,” concert organizer the Green Citizen Action Alliance said.

The concert featured more than 10 groups of local musicians who agreed to perform for free to support terminating nuclear power and creating a nuclear-free nation.

The alliance said that it published Taiwan’s first anti-nuclear compilation music album last year, which included 34 songs by local independent artists and bands who dedicated their original music to promote anti-nuclear ideals.

Following the success of the album, the alliance said yesterday’s music concert was another step to raise awareness of nuclear power-related issues among the public through culture and art.

Ma Shih-fang (馬世芳), a music critic and a radio DJ, said the concert was a good representation of Taiwan’s independent music scene because the lineup was very good.

Before the show began in the afternoon, indie band Sorry Youth wrote on Facebook that it had been invited by the Northern Coast Anti-Nuclear Action Alliance and Panai to visit New Taipei City’s Jinshan (金山) — home to the Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant.

The band said that during the visit, they met with elderly local residents who have fought for many decades against nuclear power.

The band said they felt that because they lived in a generation that has access to abundant information and technology, they should not allow the residents to feel alone, but should invite people to join the discussion of nuclear energy through their music.

Pop band Chocolate Tiger were the first to perform at the concert.

“Why don’t we want nuclear power? Because we all want to live safely and grow old with our loved ones, with our family and children,” the band said.

Secretary-general of the alliance Tsuei Su-hsin (崔愫欣) said that the concert served as a way to attract more young people to join anti-nuclear campaigns, such as the anti-nuclear parade planned for March 8.

“We hope that the fire of anti-nuclear hope will not be extinguished, and that everyone will continue [to fight against nuclear power] because the government is still trying to stall on the issue,” Tsuei said.

“It is unwilling to tell us whether it will stop the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant or not,” she added.

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